Julie of the Wolves Theme of The Home

What does it mean to be home in the world of Julie of the Wolves? Miyax moves around so much, her home changes on practically every page. She moves from the seal camp, to Mekoryuk, to Barrow, to a sod house on the tundra, to various campsites, to an ice house, and finally, we assume, to her father's house in Kangik. But are any of these places really home for our girl?

Look, it's clear from the get-go that Miyax is a girl in search of a home, but what isn't clear is what that home would even look like. Miyax is caught in the middle of so many forces – nature and civilization, Eskimos and Americans, human and wolf – that we can't help but think she needs to do some more soul searching and find out a bit more about her true self before we can know what kind of home she needs.

Questions About The Home

Where in the novel does Miyax seem most at home? How can you tell?

What do you think is Miyax's definition of home? Where in the novel can you find evidence to support your answer? And what do you think her ideal home would look like?

If traditional Eskimos are always moving, always building sod houses in summer and ice houses in winter, what might they consider to be home?

Do you think Julie can ever feel at home in Kapugen's house in Kangik?

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

Home in Julie of the Wolves is defined by those around you. Miyax is only truly at home with the wolves, because they, alone, are her true family.

It is impossible for Miyax to find a home because she will always be caught between two cultures: the Eskimo one and the Americanized one.